Blockchain is so uncomfortable - Matthew James Low

[Music] I I was super surprised to see how many people had really attended given the fact that throughout the years I've I've attended a bunch of of crypto conferences and to see how many serious people they were at this conference was a great surprise and it was a revitalization of my opinion art in the market how many people Not only was in Spain but from all over the world that came especially to attend this conference it was yeah it was a it was a good thing to see [Music] thank you I think the the digital asset space I don't want to use crypto because that has a really bad conversation but like the digital asset Space is really evolving now it's it's it's it's naturalizing it at such a huge rate where you really are seeing valuable collaboration I think in in the last couple years there were people building in silos but then if they were collaborating the collaboration was more marketing driven than it was actually uh value accrual and so you know now you're seeing people really wanting to add value via collaboration and that's where you know the people that are bullish on on on the space really evolving over the the short and mid term are really going to see the most the most motivation that's where that's where the real kind of driver and the Innovation is going to take place and it's it's something that I'm doing right I I'm here at BBC to do just that to find valuable collaborators amongst an incredibly impressive audience uh to add value to you know the next short term because I I don't want to mess around anymore I want to really build something that's going to impact not only is the lives of customers that we touch but also the lives of Industry that we operate in [Music] right so fastenara is a is an asset manager and Technology fund we do a bunch of crypto trading as well as Venture funds um but my sole purpose is as head of Special Projects is uh to seek the various ways in which web 3 technology and blockchain Technology can really impact the fund itself and the way in which we operate traditionally throughout the years as well as as going forward so what I'm really looking for in particular is um companies that kind of Meet the Mandate of what I kind of seek to to use web3 technology to evolve the business um and that might be you know companies that are pursuing tokenization of real world assets it might be uh protocols both layer 1 and layer twos it might be uh guys that are focusing on core D5 mechanics that we can potentially partner with and leverage so you know the the spread of of diversity of personnel at this conference has really kind of shown that value to be there but also like quite substantially the quality and I think you know having gone to so many crypto conferences in the past and you don't necessarily see the decision makers the quality of personnel at that conference and it's merely individuals that'll introduce you to the decision makers that's not valuable to me I want to have a conversation with decision makers and and heads of departments Executives senior Representatives Founders and and and that's what I'm kind of finding uh on day one here which is really surprising [Music] yeah I I was having this conversation with someone earlier and I think um people need to you know operators in the space really need to step up the extent which they conduct due diligence um you you cannot be in the space and not know uh or be educated on how these core systems work write how cryptocurrencies are transacted well how the blockchain enables that what is D5 what is C5 what is a decentralized exchange what is a centralized exchange what does custody mean right and how those things have evolved to the present day and what people are vocalizing is the expansion of opportunities for Innovation to take place resides within the naivety in your assumption of of what those things are and where they heading to right that's where the manipulation is that's where the exploitation is that so many people have been affected by in a very negative way and I think the very basic of just informing yourself and then using a basic set of just you know applying uh a basic due diligence background check who's this person do I find them credible who is their team how does that complise uh what is the traction of whatever they've done in the past and and whatever their history is as well as what is the attraction today and then what is the product that they're trying to sell right um am I a partner in that am I investor in that am I going to acquire it um and and what does that commercial strategy look like if you don't have a basic understanding of what those sets are those structures are then you know you need to take a step back and I think you know it's okay to take a step back when things are moving so so fast forward it's important to take the step back it's a mature thing to do to take a step back and familiarize yourself with you know that the core fundamentals of the space so that you can make a really good enforced decision and that's kind of what I say to a lot of people is just take a step back if you don't understand it take a step back make sure that you understand it before you progress in a conversation [Music] thank you I think that over regulation is a Bad Thing uh it really is I think it it will constrict and and prevent any hinder Innovation uh it'll it'll create under underground kind of dark webs of of products and services that we don't fund but then under regulation is also quite a bad thing because a lot of people then are exposed to manipulation exploitation so I think there is kind of needs to be this like beautiful mix that we've never we've never had and I don't think we ever will but this beautiful mix of staying informed as to how certain products and services have evolved and where they've made mistakes and where they've been shut down right FTX Luna Celsius uh three hours capital but learning from those and understanding how to apply a set of lenses on companies that are trying to do fairly similar things and understanding with that set whether it's good or bad right and then seeing if the regulator if at all is reacting to that space Habit in any way shape or form and I wouldn't rely on any one regulator to be the golden standards right the SEC has its flaws the FCA as it falls right but a combination of independent and centralized Regulators is important for you to apply that lens to whatever you're you're immersing yourself in especially in this space [Music] thank you it's so uncomfortable it's so uncomfortable right um you come to a conference like this and everyone's moving at 100 miles an hour in different directions they're trying to teach you at the same time that they're trying to sell you um and uh and I I find it such a beautiful mix of diverse individuals um no one's the same no one's a corporate robot and no one's uh an introverted nerd there's this beautiful mix of different characters different Builders um and you know I I I I'm an inherent nerds uh so I love learning about new things um I like being uncomfortable and so you know I I'd be I'd be dead if if I was just kind of trading a strategy enough in you know in a big fund or a big Bank uh in Canary Wharf in London uh being here learning uh you know leading a strategy that I don't know what it will look like in two days versus you know six months or the next hour um but that's quite exciting I think you know it it gets you up in the morning not knowing what your day is going to look like and what you're gonna uncover um and I think that gives gives it really good purpose um and and a reason to get up in the morning because it's so uncomfortable uh and and I look forward to meeting new people and and having those discussions because that's what that's what's really exciting [Music]